6:44 am, March 9, 2026
Will John Lewis pay staff an annual bonus for first time in four years?
Workers at the John Lewis Partnership (JLP) are set to find out whether they will receive their first annual bonus payment in four years next week.
It will report its results for the year to January, which will include informing staff over its plans for any potential bonus. The payment of a bonus is decided by the company’s board.
JLP has not paid an annual bonus to workers since January 2022 amid a major turnaround strategy at the company.
German media group Axel Springer to buy Telegraph for £575m
German media firm Axel Springer has agreed to buy the Telegraph Media Group (TMG) for £575m, scuppering efforts by the owner of the Daily Mail to snap up its UK newspaper rival.
It is the latest major twist in a roughly three-year ownership tussle for the politically influential newspaper group.
Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) had previously agreed a £500m deal to buy The Telegraph last year. However, Abu Dhabi-backed consortium RedBird IMI said it now plans to sell the business to the Berlin-based Politico owner.
Ford’s Kuga and Puma get BlueCruise hands-free driving tech
Ford has introduced its hands-off BlueCruise driving technology to its Kuga and Puma models.
Having previously only been available on the Mustang Mach-e electric SUV, BlueCruise uses a system of cameras and radars to ‘read’ the road ahead and allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel and allow the car to ‘steer’ instead. The hands-off system can only be used on approved ‘Blue Zones’, which currently include areas on the M1, M6 and M25.
New Kuga and Puma BlueCruise Edition cars will get the system equipped as standard, doing without the £17.99 monthly subscription for the service on the Mach-e. BlueCruise Edition cars get a unique blue exterior colour along with a handful of other features.
The markets
The FTSE 100 ended a bruising week on the back foot with oil heading above 90 US dollars a barrel sending UK bond yields soaring as inflation fears mount. A soft US jobs report added to the downbeat mood as European and US markets also fell sharply.
The FTSE 100 index ended down 129.19 points, 1.2%, at 10,284.75. The FTSE 250 closed down 199.25 points, 0.9%, at 22,500.95 and the AIM All-Share dropped 3.66 points, 0.5%, at 784.70.
The pound was higher at 1.3387 US dollars on Friday afternoon, up from 1.3309 dollars at the equities close on Thursday. The euro stood higher at 1.1597 dollars, from 1.1574 dollars. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar was trading a touch lower at 157.62 yen, compared to 157.67 yen.
Starmer to reassure public as Iran conflict enters tenth day
Sir Keir Starmer will seek to reassure the public at home as the Middle East conflict continues into its tenth day.
The prime minister will discuss the impact on people in the UK as he visits a London community centre on Monday.
It comes amid speculation over the impact of the war on the global economy.
Soham killer Ian Huntley dies after attack in maximum security prison
Soham killer Ian Huntley has died in hospital after being attacked in the workshop of a maximum security prison.
The 52-year-old suffered severe brain trauma in the attack at HMP Frankland, Durham, on February 26.
Huntley, who murdered the 10-year-olds in 2002, had been on life support in hospital after being hit repeatedly over the head by an inmate armed with a metal bar.
Latest on Car Dealer
CMA rubber stamps BCA’s takeover of rival car auction Aston Barclay
BCA has been cleared by the Competition and Markets Authority to complete its deal to buy Aston Barclay.
Used car bosses sentenced after trading standards investigation found ‘systemic misconduct’
Two used car dealership owners in the North West of England have been sentenced following a trading standards investigation by Warrington Borough Council.
KGM Motors expands network north of the border with Dicksons of Inverness
Korean carmaker KGM Motors has welcome another car dealer to its growing network.
Hendy Honda salesman defrauds company of more than £13,000 to fund gambling habit
A car salesman from Portsmouth has avoided jail after defrauding his employer of more than £13,000 to pay for his gambling addiction.
Used electric cars flew off dealer forecourts in February as buyers chased lower prices
EVs accounted for the majority of the fastest-selling used cars in February, new data seen exclusively by Car Dealer shows.
Weather
It will be mostly cloudy today with light patchy rain in western and northern areas, reports BBC Weather. During the afternoon, some cloud will clear, bringing spells of sunshine.
Tonight, much of the UK stays cloudy, with clearer periods in the south, east and northern Scotland, while the north and west see occasional rain.
